The Carp in the Bathtub

Leah and her brother Harry make a plan to save the live carp from becoming a dead fish for Passover gefilte fish. Picture descriptions included. Reading Ages 4 to 8

Long Synopsis:

A story about Passover preparation of gefilte fish in the 1940's. Mama buys her fresh living carp a week in advance and keeps it alive in the bathtub. The children fall in love with the fish when Leah is nine years old. It's a special fish that year: larger, shinier, friendlier. They even name it Joe. They make a plan to save the fish from its certain death. Papa intervenes. Good view of New York tenement living of that time. The story is told from the perspective of young Leah.